


the water's too rough darling, i'm sorry

by fallingforboys



Series: don't let go darling, you still have a life to love [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Corey Bryant & Theo Raeken Friendship, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Theo Raeken, M/M, McCall Pack, Puppy Pack (Teen Wolf), Temporary Character Death, Theo Raeken & Brett Talbot Friendship, Theo Raeken is Part of the Pack, yes you read right it's TEMPORARY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29183427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingforboys/pseuds/fallingforboys
Summary: The (slightly more) heartbreaking alternate ending to "the ships roll by and the lighthouse stands tall, but we're still drowning" that no one asked for.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: don't let go darling, you still have a life to love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142510
Comments: 36
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I... I really have nothing to say for this one, this was actually how I thought I would end the story, but I decided not to in the end.
> 
> Full disclosure: I made myself cry while writing this, and by sheer coincidence, "Ghost of You" by 5SOS started playing while I was writing, so if you really want to torture yourself, listen to that song while reading.

Theo woke up to pain exploding _everywhere_.

Which didn’t make sense because he was _dead_ and if he was dead, that meant he shouldn’t be in pa–

_Oh_. 

Right, he was in _hell_. Of course, he was in _pain_. And if this was the amount of pain that Theo would _start_ with, he could only imagine how much worse it would get when Tara finally showed up. He let himself think about the world he left for a moment, give himself a brief reprieve as he thought about Scott, and Brett, and Corey, and Layla, and _Liam_. He hoped that they beat Monroe, hoped that she was _rotting_ in hell just like he would be.

He hoped that they were _happy_ , because he knew that he wouldn’t be. Not now, not tomorrow, not _ever_. 

His stomach _lurched_ , and he almost gasped at the pain. He was getting tired of waiting, waiting for Tara’s inevitable arrival, waiting for her to reach into his chest and put an end to his pain. Just so he could live it all over again. And again, and again, and again, and _again_ , for the rest of eternity. 

“Where are you, Tara?” he whispered into the darkness, unable to see, unable to move, unable to do _anything_ but lie there and _wait_.

“Theo.”

He heard his name, but it didn’t sound like Tara. It didn’t sound like that low, creepy voice that haunted his nightmares and his daydreams. No, it almost sounded like… _Liam?_

But Liam wasn’t supposed to be in hell with him. And Theo started to panic, because _why was Liam in hell with him?_ Liam was _good_ , he was everything Theo _wasn’t_ , and he wasn’t supposed to be _dead_. He felt his pulse spike, his thoughts sending him into an endless hole. His body was still on _fire_ , but he felt his breath hitch, felt it get uneven as he kept thinking about Liam, Liam, Liam. 

“Theo!” And there it was again. Liam was _here_ , why was he _here?_

“Theo, _listen to me_.”

Theo froze. That wasn’t Liam. That was… that was… _Brett?_ Why was _Brett_ here?

“Theo, you need to calm down, your heart rate is too high, you’re gonna go into shock.”

And that was… _Scott?_ Was this all a game that Tara was playing? Make him listen to their voices, listen to them _caring_ about him, just to rip it all away at the end, make him _suffer_ , because that’s what he deserved.

And Theo accepted it. He lay still, accepting the fate he deserved, accepting that this was all just part of Tara’s _game_ , part of his _punishment_. 

“His heart’s too slow now!”

“What the _fuck_ , Theo, why is your heart slowing down?”

“We’re losing him, drive _faster_!”

“I just ran through _five_ red lights, Corey, I’m going as fast as I _can_.”

“Theo, _fuck_ , listen to me, you _need to hang on_.”

It was all just a game, he reminded himself. Don’t listen to them, don’t give in to her manipulation, don’t listen, don’t listen, _don’t listen_. 

“Stiles, tell Melissa to get to the hospital _now_. And Dr. Geyer too.”

“ _Theo_ , c’mon, stay with us.”

“How much wolfsbane did Monroe put in him, _Jesus_.”

“Theo, don’t you _dare_ fucking die right now.”

Theo almost laughed. He had to give it to Tara, she got Brett’s aggressive affection down pretty well. It was nice, though, to hear all their voices again. He hoped that this would happen every time, because at least he’d be able to keep hearing them, be able to hear glimpses of the people he would never _see_ again. 

“Theo, _please_.”

The quiver in Liam’s voice pulled at his heart. Why, Tara, why’d you have to make him hear _Liam_ in pain? He hoped this part of the torture would be over soon, so he could get to the ripping his heart out part, so he could stop hearing Liam _crying_. 

“Be careful with him, we don’t know how bad it is.”

“It’s _pretty fucking bad_ , Scott, open the fucking door.”

Theo felt his body being lifted, which confused him. Was Tara making him _fly?_ What does _this_ have to do with his torture? He thought back to when he was a kid, when people used to ask him what superpower he wanted. He never said flying, always super strength, because maybe then he could impress his parents enough for them to care about him. He had always been so _weak_. He never said flying, so what was Tara doing?

He felt something against his back though, and realized he wasn’t flying anymore. Okay, Tara’s coming, then. She’d be here soon. Theo thought back to the nightmares he’d have when he was still alive, the way he wouldn’t even have to open his eyes to sense his sister crawling towards him, that _smile_ on her face, the _anger_ in her voice. 

“Theo, honey, we’re putting you under anesthesia, okay? Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

The voice was calming, Scott clearly got his comforting personality from _somewhere_ , and it almost made Theo relax. 

And then the world went dark.

__________________________________

Theo opened his eyes.

He was back at the hospital, the dim lights causing him to squint as he tried to figure out where he was. 

“Theo…”

The voice was low, almost a hiss, and the chimera could hear the smile in it, could imagine the twisted lips that had haunted him for months now. 

Theo closed his eyes.

He didn’t need to see to know what was coming.

__________________________________

Theodore Raeken was officially declared dead at 3:48 P.M. 

Melissa walked out of the hospital room, exhaustion pouring out, meeting Scott’s questioning eyes. She pulled off her mask, opening her mouth to give the pack the news that she never thought she’d have to.

“We– we couldn’t save him. It was… was too late.”

The air was sucked out of the room as it stood still, the pack frozen as they processed what the nurse had just told him.

And then Liam _screamed_. 

It was so _raw_ , so _devastating_. Melissa’s heart cracked at the agony in the beta’s voice. Liam dropped to his knees, Mason immediately moving to comfort his best friend, but Melissa knew it was hopeless. 

Corey, Brett, and Layla were in no better condition, tears streaming down all their faces, even _Brett_ , who Melissa had come to figure out, hated showing his emotions. But at that moment, all his defenses were down, his eyes _bloodshot_ as he hung onto Nolan, crying for the death of his best friend. Corey had sunk into the chair he was sitting in, flickering in and out of visibility, his control nonexistent after hearing the news. Layla was clinging onto Isaac, and Melissa heard her quiet whimpers, repeating _no, no, no_.

Scott had a broken look on his face, and Melissa _hated_ that she couldn’t do anything to comfort her son. Next to him, Stiles seemed to still be processing that Theo, the chimera that he had hated for so long but had grown to consider a friend, was _gone_. The rest of the pack were all somber, they might not have been as close to Theo as the others, but they were still close, he was still _pack_. 

Melissa’s eye caught onto Peter. The older werewolf was leaning against the wall across from Theo’s room, his head tilted down. And the nurse suddenly remembered what Scott had told her the other day, how Peter had pretty much _adopted_ Theo, how he had seen a kindred spirit in the young chimera. And just when the older werewolf got it, it had been ripped away from him. His hands and clothes were covered in blood, and Melissa just _knew_ that he had been the one to kill Monroe. 

Liam was still on the floor, trembling, as he stared at the closed door of Theo’s room. 

“Theo…”

Melissa’s heart _shattered_ at the whisper, because there would be no answer to the werewolf’s call. 

Never again.

__________________________________

Somewhere in the world, the solemn guitar of I’ll Be Good began to play.

__________________________________

_I'll be good, I'll be good_

_And I'll love the world, like I should_

_Yeah, I'll be good, I'll be good_

_For all of the times that I never could_

_For all of the light that I shut out_

_For all of the innocent things that I doubt_

_For all of the bruises I've caused and the tears_

_For all of the things that I've done_

_All these years, no, yeah_

_For all of the sparks that I stomped out_

_For all of the perfect things that I doubt_

_I'll be good, I'll be good_

_For all of the times I never could_

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wasn't planning on writing another heart-wrenching chapter, but apparently I love making myself cry, so here you go

Liam hasn’t left Theo’s apartment since that day.

His parents didn’t even try arguing with him, and he was grateful for that. He thinks that if they did, he probably would have exploded on them, his control hasn’t been the same since Theo–

Since Theo died.

There’s tears on Liam’s cheeks again, a feeling he’s gotten used to at this point, as he lays on the left side of Theo’s bed. The chimera had always slept on the right side, and Liam didn’t know why, and it was just another one of the things he’d never be able to ask him. On the rare occasions that Liam gets more than two hours of sleep, he dreams of Theo, dreams of all the things that could’ve been if they hadn’t been too _late._ If they hadn’t let him go out by _himself_ , without any other supernaturals. He dreams, and sometimes they’re nightmares, cause Theo’s dead _there_ too, and he hears the chimera whisper that he’ll be okay. And that’s a lie, because Liam _won’t_ be okay. 

He stays there for another five minutes, twenty minutes, an hour? Liam doesn’t know anymore, doesn’t _want_ to know anymore. 

Eventually, he got up, making his way to the living room, but he stilled when he saw the couch, memories flashing through his head. Theo and him had once fallen asleep on that couch, waking up to the snickers of the pack as they took pictures. Liam still remembers the steady beat of Theo’s heart under his chest as he snuggled into the chimera, the way his head rose and fell with Theo’s breathing. He remembered the first time they played a video game together, Theo beating him _every single time_ , and then the chimera had gone and said something that made Liam’s cheeks heat up, and Liam never even got to tell him why. 

Liam had been in love with Theo, and he never got to tell him. 

And now he never will. 

__________________________________

The door to Theo’s apartment opened quietly, and Liam knew it was Scott, but he didn’t look. He sat at the kitchen counter, staring at the stove, because if he stared long enough, he could see Theo standing there, with a grin on his face as he made fun of Liam’s long rants about some historic event. If he stared long enough, he could see Theo with red cheeks, looking down shyly after their hands had accidentally brushed reaching for a snack. If he stared long enough, Theo was still _there_. 

“Liam,” the alpha’s voice was gentle, “Did you eat?”

The beta shook his head jerkily, still staring, still _seeing_. 

“Do you want piz–”

Liam claws extended, and Scott cut himself off. If things were different, it would almost be kind of funny, that Liam couldn’t eat his favorite food anymore, couldn’t even _hear_ it anymore without thinking of Theo. 

Without thinking of Theo shot with wolfsbane bullets, as the pizza boxes fell to the ground, and then he fell too. Layla had told them what happened when she got back, her eyes red, and now Liam pictures it in his head. Imagines what it must’ve looked like when Theo fell, because Liam deserves the torture, because he wasn’t _there_. He didn’t _save_ him, when Theo had saved _him_ over and over and _over_ again, Liam couldn’t save him the one time he needed to. 

“Liam, you need to eat, you look like you’re about to fall ov–”

“Scott.”

The one word was enough, and Liam was too numb to say anything more. He didn’t want to eat, didn’t want to sleep, didn’t want to do _anything_. Liam suddenly recalled Theo, homeless and living in his truck, barely eating, barely sleeping, maybe feeling somewhat like what Liam was now. And the memory brought another round of tears, but Liam had none left. 

Scott sighed, placing what Liam was sure was meant to be a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t feel it. And Liam didn’t know how much time passed, but eventually, he heard Scott leave. The days passed, all blurring into one, because there was nothing new in them anymore. 

Somedays, Brett and Corey and Layla would come over, and they’d all sit silently in the living room or the kitchen or the bedroom, taking in Theo’s scent, that was slowly beginning to fade. Liam had found the hoodie that the chimera used to wear all the time, but it didn’t smell like Theo anymore. 

“His scent’s completely gone.”

Corey’s quiet words pierced the somber silence, and Liam felt his heart crack, felt it _fracture_ , because he knew. He knew Theo’s scent was completely gone from the apartment, and it would never be back. No matter what Liam did, it would _never_ be back. 

Liam still sees Theo. Sees him in the kitchen, in the living room, and if he tries hard enough, sees him lying in the bed next to him. Can _feel_ him lying in the bed next to him. And then Liam would absentmindedly roll over, throwing an arm where Theo’s waist would be and–

There would be nothing but air. Nothing but the ghost of Theo living in Liam’s head. 

__________________________________

Theo might be the one that was dead, but the only ghost in Theo’s apartment was Liam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm definitely crying now, why do I do this to myself asdgjkdg


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is: the final chapter to this alternate ending. The science behind what's going to happen doesn't really make complete sense, but it's the supernatural, so anything's possible, right?
> 
> I thought I had been subtle, but apparently not, because some of you figured it out already😅
> 
> Hope you like it!

Theo opened his eyes. He was used to the dim lights of the hospital now, no longer needed to squint to see. He didn’t know how many times he’d woken up like this– he had lost track somewhere between twenty-four and sixty. 

He laid there, waiting for Tara to come, waiting for her to rip his heart out again, but the minutes passed and nothing happened. 

Theo slowly sat up, confused, because where was Tara? Where was that low hiss, the cruel smile, the whisper of his name? He stood up hesitantly, taking slow steps towards the door of the room. Was this another game? Like the first time? That had confused Theo, because Tara only played that game once, he only heard their voices _once_ , and then they were gone. And a part of Theo’s heart wanted to believe that it wasn’t a game, he wasn’t actually back in hell, and he had actually been alive, but the logical part of knew that couldn’t be true. 

Right?

The hospital was dark, and Theo was scared, scared that Tara would jump out, ripping his heart out again, and this would all just be a twisted game that she liked the play, liked the feeling of the prey running, trying to escape. Theo suddenly realized that he had reached the elevator, and he hesitantly pressed the up button. There was no harm in trying, right? If this _was_ all just one of Tara’s tricks, at least it was something different. 

The doors to the elevator opened, and Theo froze. And then _screamed_. 

“ _Liam!”_ Because the beta was in the corner of the elevator, blood _everywhere_ , his eyes closed, his heartbeat _gone_ . “Liam, why are you here? _Liam_ , wake _up_.”

Tara was cruel, but Theo didn’t understand _how_ cruel until he had to watch Liam die over and over and over again, and couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

__________________________________

Melissa groaned, her eyes heavy as she blindly reached for her ringing phone, lazily putting it to her ear.

“It’s three in the morning Geyer, there better be a good reason for this.”

“You need to get to the hospital right now,” David’s voice rang out from the phone, and Melissa blinked at how panicked it was.

“David, what’s wrong?”

“Just– just get down here, Melissa. _Now_.”

He hung up, and Melissa stared at the phone for a few seconds, before getting out of bed. Her movement woke Chris, and he mumbled out a sleepy _what happened?_

“Something’s wrong at the hospital, David just called me and he sounded scared,” she explained, changing out of her pajamas. All sleep drained out of Chris, and his face was hard as he rolled out of bed, clearly intending on coming with her. 

Ten minutes later, they pulled into the hospital parking lot and rushed in. David was standing in the hallway, and a sigh of relief left his lips when he saw them. 

“Come on, you guys need to see this,” he called out, walking so fast he was basically running, and Chris and Melissa rushed to catch up. David threw open the doors to the morgue, and Chris and Melissa froze at the sight that met their eyes. 

Theo’s body was on the table, and one look at David confirmed that he was the one who pulled it out. “I heard something when I was taking a look at someone else, and I took him out, and just– just wait.”

The three adults were silent, their eyes on the chimera. After a few minutes, Melissa was about to raise an eyebrow at David, because nothing was _happening_ , and that made _sense_ , because Theo was _dead_ , but then something _did_.

“Li… am.”

Their heads snapped to Theo, who still looked dead, but they had _heard_ him. 

“Li… am.”

David turned to Melissa and Chris. “That’s the only thing he says, but he shouldn’t be saying _anything_ , because he’s supposed to be _dead_.”

Melissa looked at the chimera with wide eyes, quickly making her way to him to check his pulse. 

“No pulse, how is he _talking?_ ” the nurse asked the quiet room, no one responding, because who could?

“I don’t think I can handle finding out that there’s ghosts and zombies,” David said suddenly, and Melissa almost laughed. Chris placed a comforting hand on the other man’s shoulder, quietly reassuring him that _no_ , there were no ghosts or zombies. But something was happening, and they couldn’t figure it out by themselves. 

“I’ll call Deaton,” Chris announced softly, pulling out his phone. Melissa nodded, turning back to Theo, who was still so _pale_ , and she remembered when he had been declared dead, how his pulse had _stopped_ , even after everything they had tried. But his pulse was _still_ gone, he was somehow talking _without a pulse_. 

Chris walked back to the table, pocketing his phone. “He’ll be here in two minutes.”

Deaton was all narrowed eyes and close-lipped as he studied the chimera, answering none of the adults’ questions, just _searching_. The tests he ran were extensive, and Melissa was beginning to think that maybe they should take the supernaturals to Deaton’s whenever something happened, because _clearly_ , the equipment at the hospital was not suited for supernaturals. 

“He’s not dead.”

Three loud gasps echoed in the room, and Deaton looked up at them, his brows furrowed, and that meant _something_ , because Deaton _never_ showed his emotions. 

“Wh- _how?_ ” David sputtered, and the druid’s eyes fell to the chimera between them again. 

“I don’t know, but what I can tell you is that he’s not. It seems like he’s in some sort of… supernatural limbo.” 

Melissa exhaled sharply. “How did we miss _that?_ ”

Deaton gave her a small, reassuring smile. “I assure you, it is not your fault. The state Theo is in right now, I’m not sure even _I_ would’ve been able to pick up on it, were it not for you hearing him talking. What we need to figure out is how to bring him _out_.”

Chris rubbed his chin, before crossing his arms. “How is he talking without a pulse?”

The druid sighed. “Do any of you know what happened to him when he went to hell?”

The other three looked at each other before shaking their heads. Theo had been keen on avoiding that subject whenever it came up, and Melissa wasn’t sure if even _Liam_ knew. 

“I– I shouldn’t be talking about this because he made me promise not to, but it seems that it is necessary for the situation,” Deaton said slowly, his eyes on Theo’s face. “He came to me once, back when I assume he wasn’t part of the pack, or at least didn’t _know_ he was part of the pack. He was looking for something that would knock him out into a dreamless sleep, asked if I had anything strong enough. I told him that I couldn’t give it to him unless I knew why, because these sorts of potions, they depend _heavily_ on what the cause is. And he must’ve been desperate, because he told me. _Everything_.”

Melissa and Chris exchanged a look. They both had a vague idea of what it would entail, though they didn’t know the details. 

“His sister would rip out his heart, I assume, in a way that is meant to represent her ‘taking her heart back,’” Deaton continued, and they gasped. That was… _brutal_. “He had no way of stopping her, just had to suffer through it. My guess is, that stuck with him. I have a strong feeling that whatever he’s going through right now, it connects strongly with what he went through in hell, and his pulse is still _there_ , but he’s unconsciously controlling it, concealing it so that it’s softer, so that–”

“She won’t find him,” Melissa finished, and the room fell silent. Theo was just a _kid_ , and no matter what he did before, he wasn’t that Theo anymore. He was just a _kid_ , and Melissa’s heart ached at what the chimera must be going through right now. “So how do we pull him out?”

No one knew the answer, and the only sound in the room was their slow breathing. 

David jerked, and everyone else jumped. The doctor turned to the rest of them, his voice hushed as he whispered, “ _Liam._ ”

Melissa almost slapped a hand to her forehead. How had they forgotten what the chimera had said in the first place? 

“I assume that’s what he was saying?” Deaton asked them, and Chris nodded. “He was– _is_ Theo’s anchor, wasn’t he?”

Melissa’s head snapped up. The idea had been tossed around the pack, just whispers and rumors, that the beta and the chimera were each other’s anchors, Theo helping with Liam’s control and Liam keeping Theo grounded to reality. The two had never confirmed nor denied it, though it had been clear that it was true, to _some_ extent. 

“But why _now?_ Why after a week?” she asked, “Why is he suddenly saying Liam’s name _now?_ ”

“Something must’ve happened,” Deaton predicted, his eyebrows pulled together as he got lost in thought, flipping through what Melissa assumed was his extensive supernatural encyclopedia inside his head. “Has Liam been at the hospital recently?”

David shook his head, his expression filled with sorrow. “He hasn’t left Theo’s apartment since… since.”

Deaton hummed, playing around with other ideas in his head, when something hit Melissa.

“Liam hasn’t been here, but _Scott_ came in yesterday. And he visits Liam everyday,” she rushed out and the druid’s eyes lit up.

“Liam’s scent must’ve been on Scott, and somehow, it jolted his and Theo’s connection,” Deaton explained, “We need to bring Liam in.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Chris asked, and Melissa knew what he was thinking. “What if we can’t… what if it doesn’t work? The kid’s already devastated, this would break him completely.”

“There’s a chance it won’t work,” Deaton said solemnly, “But the longer we wait, the less chance we have at bringing him out. This is the _only_ option we have.”

Melissa checked her watch. “It’s already four, and I have a feeling that Liam’s either not sleeping, or will be awake very soon. We meet back here at seven, and we… we try to get our chimera back.”

All their eyes fell to the chimera, whose mouth was slightly open, as if he was in the beginnings of a scream.

__________________________________

Liam wasn’t sleeping. _Again_. If he slept for too long, he dreamt of Theo, and it was too painful, so he spent the nights replaying memories instead. Dancing with the ghost inside his head, because that’s the only place where Theo was still alive. 

The loud sound of his phone ringing jolted him out of his thoughts, and he sat up, registering his step dad's picture on the screen. He put the phone to his ear, not talking, waiting for his voice.

“Liam,” the gentle voice shook the beta, and he croaked out a quiet _yeah?_

“Liam, you need to come to the hospital, it’s important,” Dr. Geyer said, and Liam was puzzled. What was at the hospital? If it was another fight, he didn’t think he was strong enough, and was just about to repeat that when his step dad’s next words stopped him cold. 

“It’s about Theo.”

Liam’s arm twitched, and he dropped the phone, heard as it fell onto the bed. _Theo?_

He didn’t bother grabbing his phone, didn’t bother with _anything_. He just _ran_. Ran and ran and ran until he reached the hospital. Melissa and his step dad were waiting for him in front of the hospital, and they ushered him inside.

“Some of the others are already here, and the rest are on their way,” Melissa informed him, and Liam felt like his mind was in overdrive.

“What’s going on?” His voice was rough, he hadn’t used it in a while, and it showed. 

His step dad sighed heavily, putting a hand on his shoulder and pushing him into a seat next to Brett. “We’ll explain when everyone gets here, it’s complicated.”

Liam met Brett’s eyes, and he knew that the other werewolf was just as confused, just as frustrated that no one was explaining. They mentioned Theo, but didn’t say _anything_ else.

Ten minutes later, the whole pack was crowding the small hallway that Melissa and Dr. Geyer had blocked off, impatiently waiting for _someone_ to tell them _something_. Deaton and Argent walked out of the morgue, and everyone quieted down, guessing that they would finally get what they wanted.

Deaton exchanged a look with Melissa, and then looked at all of them. “What I’m about to tell you may be shocking, and you need to realize that it is not _definite_.”

His words were as vague as ever, and Liam growled softly. Layla put a hand on his arm, and Deaton’s eyes flickered to Liam before turning back to address everyone. 

“Theo is not dead.”

Liam felt like he’d just been punched in the gut. “ _What?_ ”

The rest of the pack was in no better condition, various shouts and gasps echoing in the hallway that got louder and louder until Argent whistled loudly. 

“Sit down, and let Deaton explain.” The pack followed his order, albeit still restless as they anxiously waited for the druid to talk again. 

“Theo is in what seems to be a supernatural state of limbo, and he is _not_ dead yet. His pulse is nonexistent, and we think–” Deaton broke off, looking at Melissa, but continued. “We think that he’s unconsciously controlling it so that he has a better chance of surviving in his situation in limbo. We think that he’s–”

“He’s in hell again,” Liam stated, and all the attention fell to him as he looked at Deaton. “Right? The supernatural limbo for him is hell. And he’s controlling his heartbeat so that Tara won’t find him.”

Deaton looked a little surprised, but eventually nodded. “But we think that there is a way to pull him out.”

“How?” Stiles asked, his face serious as he stared at the druid, who hesitated.

Deaton’s eyes flicked to Liam again, and he watched as Melissa took over, pushing off the wall she was leaning against. “Last night, Theo talked, and–”

“Didn’t you say he has no pulse?” Brett interrupted. “How did he _talk?_ ”

“We’re getting to that,” Melissa said, giving the werewolf a pointed look, who shrunk back into his seat. “He kept repeating one thing, over and over, and it was… it was Liam.”

Liam suddenly felt lightheaded as he saw the pack’s jaws dropping. “ _Me?_ ”

Argent nodded. “Your name, and we think that because you two… because you’re each other’s anchors, you’re suspending him to reality. And the reason it happened _now_ is because he caught your scent, on Scott, when he came to the hospital two days ago.”

It felt like all the air in the room had been sucked out, because that… that was a _lot._ He was Theo’s _anchor_ , and he was what was keeping him _alive_. 

“So what does Liam need to do?” Scott questioned, his alpha voice coming out. 

“That’s the part we’re not sure about,” Deaton answered, looking at Liam. “I’m sure _someone_ has experienced this before, but it’s unprecedented for _us_.”

“Can I– can I see him?” the beta asked quietly, and Melissa’s face turned sympathetic. 

“You’re going to have to, to bring him back,” the nurse stated, and gestured for him to enter the morgue. “Come on.”

Liam stood up, his legs shaking, his whole _body_ shaking, and he felt someone steady him, and he looked to the side to see Brett. He knew that the other werewolf was going to come with him, as would Corey and Layla. He wasn’t going to stop them, Theo was– no _is_ one of their best friends. 

The four entered the room silently, sucking in a breath when they saw Theo’s body on the table. The chimera was pale, and he _looked_ dead. Liam repeated Deaton’s words in his head, _he’s not dead, he’s not dead, he’s not dead_. 

But as soon as Liam got closer to Theo, stepping up to the table, the chimera’s finger twitched. 

“Li...am.”

The beta almost broke down, because that was _Theo_ , and he was _talking,_ and he wasn’t _dead_ , and he said _Liam’s_ name. Liam grabbed Theo’s hand quickly, his thumb running over the chimera’s knuckles over and over. He felt tears on his cheeks, and he didn’t bother wiping them. 

One look at his friends confirmed that they were in the same condition, all shocked that Theo was _right there_ , and he wasn’t _dead_. 

“Theo,” Liam whispered, and the word was deafening in the silent room. “Theo, I’m _here_.”

The chimera didn’t move, and Liam wanted to _scream_. He wanted Theo to wake up, wanted him to be _alive_ , not in some supernatural limbo reliving his days in hell. 

“Theo, wake _up_ ,” Liam said a little louder. “Wake _up_.”

A finger twitched in his hand, and the beta’s head snapped down to where his hand enveloped Theo’s. 

“Liam… wake… _up_.”

Liam’s head whipped back to Theo’s face, and his brows were pulled together, which meant he _moved_. 

“Liam… why are… you here? Wake… _up_.”

It suddenly hit him. Theo was seeing _him_ in limbo. _He_ was part of Theo’s hell, oh my _god_.

Everyone in the room stayed silent as they watched Theo repeat the words, asking why Liam was there, begging him to wake up. 

He needed to get Theo out of there. But he didn’t know _how_.

“Is this all happening inside his head?” Brett asked Melissa in a low voice, and she nodded slowly. 

The tall werewolf looked lost in thought for a moment before he turned to Liam. “There’s one way you could try to get him out.”

Liam was confused, but Corey apparently wasn’t, because his face immediately hardened. “No, Brett, absolutely _not_.”

The beta and Layla looked between the two boys curiously. Brett stared pointedly at Liam’s hands and Liam suddenly realized.

“That could _kill_ him,” he hissed, and Corey nodded furiously. “There has to be another way.”

“There _isn’t_ ,” Brett snapped, looking down at Theo, “ _Look_ at him, Liam, he’s _stuck_. You _need_ to go in and get him.”

“I don’t know _how_ ,” Liam told him, letting his claws extend and looked at them, “I could kill him.”

Corey let out a small sigh, clearly still not on board with the plan, but they all knew that it was the only thing they could do at this point. “We need Scott, he can teach you. He’s done it before.”

Melissa looked between them, and after confirming that they were actually doing it, left the room. Scott entered a few moments later, Stiles right behind him. 

“Liam, this is dangerous,” were the alpha’s first words, and Liam let out a low growl.

“I _know_ , but it’s the only way. He’s _stuck_ , he can’t get out by himself,” the beta said, and Scott studied him for a little bit before eventually nodding. 

He went over the basics with Liam, telling him that he needed to be _careful_.

“When I went into Stiles’ head when he was possessed by the Nogitsune, I took Lydia with me,” Scott said softly, and Liam suddenly realized why Stiles was here. He’d gone through this before. “Do you want to take Brett with you?”

Brett and Liam exchanged a heavy look. On the one hand, Theo’s anchor was _Liam_ , and adding someone else to the mess inside his head might confuse him and make this _worse_. On the other hand, there was strength in numbers and Brett was Theo’s best friend. If they went in together, they might have a better chance of getting him out. 

“You okay with me stabbing you in the back of your neck?” Liam asked Brett, and the werewolf snorted, a little bit of the tension in the room dissipating. 

“I don’t care what you have to do, we’re getting him back,” the tall werewolf replied, and Liam pursed his lips, nodding tightly. 

They sat Theo up gently, and Brett pulled up a chair to the table. Liam stood behind both of them, taking a deep breath.

He couldn’t mess this up, or he might kill Theo _and_ Brett. Great, no pressure. 

He took another breath, exchanging looks with Scott and Stiles, who both gave him small reassuring smiles. 

Just as Liam was about to shift, Scott yelped out, “ _Wait!_ ”

The beta froze, and his eyes moved to the alpha, who looked like he was thinking of something, lost in his memories. “If he doesn’t realize you’re there, roar.”

“What?” Liam asked incredulously.

“Just do it,” Stiles said, looking at Scott from the corner of his eye. “If it’s not working, _roar_.” The beta hesitantly nodded, getting back in position.

Liam shifted, and he moved, his claws piercing the back of Theo and Brett’s necks.

__________________________________

They were at the hospital, Liam quickly realized. He turned to Brett, who looked just as weary as he felt, at the fact that Theo’s hell was the hospital. Liam’s sure that he could make some connection between this and the Dread Doctors if he tried, but right now, he was just focusing on finding Theo and getting him out of here. 

“Where is he?” Brett asked him quietly, and Liam had a sinking suspicion that he knew. 

“The morgue.”

The two werewolves made their way to the ghastly room, and it smelled of death, more than it usually did. Liam’s stomach turned, his eyes roaming the area, trying to find Theo. 

“Liam!” 

Their heads snapped up, at the door. Theo wasn’t in the morgue, he was _outside_. Liam rushed out, quickly followed by Brett, and they froze at the sight across the hallway. 

Theo was in the open elevator, sobbing as he held onto Liam’s dead body, which didn’t make sense, because Liam was _alive_ , but Theo didn’t know that. Brett gave the beta a heavy look, and Liam cautiously stepped towards the elevator.

“Theo?”

The chimera gave no sign that he heard him, tightening his grip on other Liam’s shirt as he continued crying. 

“Theo, I’m not dead, I’m right here,” Liam tried, hoping that it would get through to him, but it _didn’t_. Theo stayed in the elevator, not moving, not registering Liam’s voice. The werewolf tried to step closer, but no matter how many steps he took, he couldn’t reach Theo. 

“This isn’t working,” Brett pointed out helpfully, and Liam pushed down the urge to punch him.

“ _Clearly_ ,” he snapped, before turning back to Theo. “Theo, listen to me, you need to get out of this. It’s in your head, Theo, it’s _not real_.”

“Shut up, Tara, I know that’s you,” Theo muttered, “You’re not fooling me.”

Liam’s eyes widened as he turned to Brett, who was just as shocked. Theo thought that they weren’t actually there, that it was just another one of Tara’s tricks. 

“Theo, _turn around_ , we’re really here. Theo, it’s me, Brett,” the other werewolf said, and the chimera tensed.

“You’re bringing Brett into this too now?” Theo laughed humorlessly, “Who’s next? Layla, Corey? Scott?”

“ _Theo_ ,” Liam interjected, “Turn _around_.”

The chimera shook his head jerkily, keeping his back to them. “Go away,” he whispered, his shoulders closing in on himself. “Go away, go away, go _away_.”

Liam’s heart ached, contorting in his chest. Theo was so _stuck_ , he didn’t even believe they were here. 

_If it’s not working, roar_.

Liam stiffened, Stiles’ words hitting him like a bullet. Brett looked at him, alarmed, but Liam’s eyes were solely on Theo, who was still covering in the elevator, refusing to turn around. The beta took a deep breath, and _roared_.

The sound echoed, bouncing off the walls, shaking the floor. Theo froze, his back straightening as he heard the roar. He hesitantly turned around, his eyes still on the floor. When he faced the two werewolves completely, he slowly lifted his head, and something in Liam’s chest twisted at the raw, agonizing look on the chimera’s face.

“Liam?”

Liam took a step forward, but suddenly, light exploded, and he instinctively closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in the morgue, Brett waking up in the chair in front of him. His head snapped to Theo, who let out a small whimper. 

Scott and Stiles were right there, catching the chimera as he fell, and they gently laid him back down.

“Theo?” Liam asked, the word barely making it past his clogged up throat. 

“Liam?”

A sob ripped from Liam’s throat before he could stop it, and he rushed to the chimera’s side, putting his hands on either side of his face. Theo’s eyes slowly opened, and Liam was going to _cry_.

Theo wasn’t dead. He wasn’t _dead_.

He dropped his head onto the chimera’s chest, right above his heart, and _cried_. He felt a hand on his arm, and he pulled back, seeing the soft smile on Theo’s face.

“You saved me,” Theo whispered, and Liam let out a strangled cry. 

“You’re _alive_ ,” the beta said, because he was still processing it, processing that a week after he was declared dead, Theo _wasn’t dead_.

Theo started to move to sit up, and Liam helped him, his arms quickly wrapping around the chimera’s back. By the time he unraveled himself, Theo was staring at Brett. 

“You were there,” Theo said quietly, “You were there too.”

Brett had tears in his eyes, and if they were in another place or time, Liam would’ve made fun of him for it. The tall werewolf placed a hand on Theo’s shoulder, and the chimera leaned sideways, his head pushing into Brett’s stomach as the werewolf pulled him closer. Corey and Layla did the same, everyone so _happy_ that he was _alive_. 

“How?” Theo asked, looking at Scott, and he sighed.

“We’re not really sure, but you started talking yesterday, even though you were supposed to be dead as of a week ago. You whispered Liam’s name, and Deaton figured out you were in some sort of supernatural limbo.”

Theo’s eyes moved to Liam, and a small smile twitched on his lips, like he couldn’t hold it back. 

“Guess that answers the anchor question, huh?”

Liam breathed out a surprised laugh, moving closer to the chimera. “It answers a lot more than that.”

And he pressed his lips to Theo’s, the chimera still for a moment, before pressing back just as hard. Liam melted into the kiss, his brain pretty much short-circuiting, because how was he kissing Theo when he was _dead_ thirty minutes ago? 

“Okay, okay, break it up,” Stiles cut in, annoyed, but Liam could hear the amusement behind his words. “We’re letting the rest of the pack in.”

Theo nodded, his lips still a breath away from Liam’s, his eyes still staring into Liam’s. “I love you,” he whispered, and it was so quiet, Liam didn’t know if he would’ve heard it if he wasn’t so close.

“I love you, Theo,” Liam whispered back, thinking back to that day in Theo’s apartment, when he realized he had fallen for the chimera, heartbroken that he’d never be able to tell him. But here he was, _telling him_. 

It was a short moment, interrupted by the rest of the pack rushing in, anxious to see the chimera who had miraculously come back to life, though technically, he had never died in the first place. 

The room was filled with tears and shouts of joy and tight hugs and more tears. Everyone quieted down though, when Peter stepped up to the table where Theo sat, his expression betraying nothing. 

“Guess we have another thing to add to our similarities,” Peter said quietly, but his lips quirked up in a small smirk. “Coming back from being dead is exhausting, isn’t it?”

Theo let out a short laugh, bright despite the situation. “I guess we do,” he acknowledged. “Just don’t break into my apartment again in the middle of the night.”

Malia snorted, and Liam had been surprised to see a few tears in her eyes when she had first entered the room, but he guessed the chimera had wormed his way into _everyone’s_ hearts, including the usually stubborn werecoyote. “That’s like asking Scott not to protect the pack. Expect at least two more surprise visits,” she drawled, and Liam could see Peter trying not to smile. 

“Okay,” Melissa finally said, after a few more minutes of the reunion, though it wasn’t _really_ a reunion. “Everyone out. I know we’re all excited, but we’re still in the morgue.”

The pack snickered, because it _had_ somehow escaped their attention where they were, and Liam wrapped an arm around Theo, helping him stand up slowly as they made their way outside. 

  
Theo fell asleep on the way to Scott’s house, his head on Liam’s shoulder as they sat in the back of Stiles’ Jeep, and Liam had a hard time controlling his smile at how _cute_ he looked. He looked so innocent, so _vulnerable_ as he slept, and Liam didn’t think he’d ever been happier as he intertwined their fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I wanted to try and explain why this was the alternate ending, and why I think it's more heartbreaking than the actual ending. I don't know if anyone's going to read this, but if you are, here's a little insight into my brain while I was writing this.
> 
> So, Theo never died. His body had pretty much given up, with all the wolfsbane and torture that he was put through, and he wasn't strong enough to fight it. However, he didn't die. But in the limbo state that he was in, he was forced to relive hell, but even worse this time, because Liam was part of it. And whereas in the original ending, Theo talks with Isaac about the nightmares and how he thought he was dead, that doesn't happen in this one. And I think that whatever happens past the end of this ending, it's not easy for Theo, at least not as easy as it is in the other ending. He had just been getting slightly better with his nightmares, but suddenly, he's thrust back into them, and I think that leaves a part of him damaged, and it's not going to be easy for him to recover from it.
> 
> That's why this ending is kind of bittersweet, because even though Theo is alive, he's going to plagued by the nightmares forever, and it'll be worse than it was before. 
> 
> If you actually read through all of that, well, first of all, thank you, and second, I hope it helps you see where I was coming from with this ending. 
> 
> Thank you for reading as always!


End file.
